ATHOL — Transfer Station Manager Michael Mallet was recently recognized by MassRecycle with the organization’s Small Transfer Station Award for 2023.
MassRecycle is a statewide non-profit coalition made up of municipalities, waste industry businesses, individuals, and other organizations with the goal of “improving recycling, organics diversion, and sustainable materials management in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts,” according to its website. Membership includes several dozen municipalities.
Mallet, a resident of Orange, has been in charge of Athol’s transfer station for two years, having previously worked in the City of Greenfield. The town’s transfer station opened in 2008.
Mallet said MassRecycle presents the award each year because the organization recognizes that there are a lot of struggles involved with running a small transfer station.
“We’re a full recycling facility,” he said. “They choose you based on how the facility runs, how it looks – signage, cleanliness, level of recycling – we do tires, batteries, electronics, mattresses, box springs.”
That, he says, is in addition to the typical household recycling items received at the facility.
Athol Public Works Director Dick Kilhart credited Mallet with helping make improvements to the transfer station, including the installation of a used construction trailer for use as office space.
Asked about the most challenging aspect of his role, Mallet said, “It’s basically transferring all of the materials out of here, finding the proper places to send it to. Once a bin is full we can’t take more of that material, so we need to get it moved.”
The town’s hauler is Win Waste Innovations, with facilities throughout Massachusetts, and takes the town’s municipal solid waste and recycling. Kilhart noted there are very few haulers operating in Massachusetts.
When it comes to items to be recycled, said Mallet, “Everything is separated by the residents, and also by the commercial haulers. We’re operating under the DEP regulations, so they’re all supposed to be doing that themselves.”
Mallet added that residents in general seem to be doing better with their recycling than in years past. He said getting the information out is the hardest part. While plastic is generally considered recyclable, for instance, shopping bags are not recyclable through the bins.
“A lot of people some things are recyclable that really are not,” Mallet said.
Greg Vine can be reached at gvineadn@gmail.com.